Blog Posts by Whole Living

Get inWhole Living top shape with moves that will sculpt, strengthen, and show off your curves -- not to mention boost your metabolism and your confidence. Follow these steps to make the most of your summer strength-training routine.

Plus: Slim-Down Summer Recipes

1. Cardio
Before you unveil your bikini body at the beach, get it in top shape with moves that will sculpt, strengthen, and show off your curves -- not to mention boost your metabolism and your confidence. Follow these steps to make the most of your summer strength-training routine.

2. Choose Your Moves
Include 3 to 4 days of strength-training in your workout regimen as well: Use our targeted workouts for core, arms, legs, back, and bones to strengthen and tone your trouble spots, or mix and match moves to get a full-body tune-up.

Plus: 8 Bone-Strengthening Moves

3. Strengthen Your Heart
On days you don't do cardio, pair your strength-training with a 30-minute routine designed to improve blood flow and heart health. Gentle poses that

Welcome back to Freak-Out Fridays, where health experts weigh in on just how worried you should be about health threats in the modern world. Struggling with your own quandary? Send it to freakoutfridays@marthastewart.com.

Q: I'm constantly taking antacids for my upset stomach, but I've heard that I might be getting too much calcium. Can all that chewable calcium hurt my health?

A: I'm a big advocate of giving your body the nutritional support it needs without becoming neurotic about the environment. But here is a good example of where knowledge is power -- because taking pure calcium can actually introduce health problems.

You want calcium to be deposited into your bones instead of calcifying in blood vessels, where it can up your risk of heart disease. For this to happen, calcium must be balanced with vitamin D, magnesium, and Vitamin K. A recent meta-analysis suggests that taking plain calcium for osteoporosis is associated with a 31 percent increased risk of heart attack. It's

Indulge without the guilt: Your favorite snacks just got healthier, thanks to our ingredient swaps and lightened-up recipes.

Remember the good old days of blissful ignorance, when you could bite into a bratwurst without worrying about nitrates, shampoo your hair without checking the label for phthalates, and fearlessly flip pancakes without giving the nonstick pan the side-eye? Nowadays, being health-conscious ought to come with a warning label: Dilemmas Ahead.

We know, we know: The more you learn, the more you realize how many scary things threaten our health in this day and age. To help you sort it all out (and sleep better at night), we're debuting a weekly column in which health experts will address your "should I worry?" health concerns.

Q: I want to start doing laps at the local gym, but I'm uneasy about dipping myself in all that chlorine. Can it cause any long-term harm?

A: For generations, people have been swimming in chlorinated pools. And who could blame us -- it's great for exercise and relaxation! Unfortunately, there has been some recent concern with long-term harm due to chlorinating

Whole LivingThis Sunday, treat your mom to a homemade meal that lets her indulge in guilt-free favorites.

Baked Oatmeal
This easy-to-make twist on a breakfast staple will impress any mom. Added bonus: It's full of healthy baked-in nuts and fresh fruit.
Get the Recipe

Plus: 40 Breakfast Smoothie Recipes

Blueberry-Cornmeal Muffins
Bursting with fresh berries, these cornmeal muffins are sure to be a favorite. Bake some extras and give them to Mom so she can have them throughout the week.
Get the Recipe

Ranchero FrittataWhole Living
This nutrient-packed egg dish contains a wealth of healthy ingredients, including omega-3-rich eggs, parsley, olive oil, and black beans, which contain antioxidants and are a great source of fiber.
Get the Recipe

Plus: 25 Better-for-You Spring Dessert Recipes

Whole-Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes
Ask any mom: A stack of fiber-rich flapjacks tastes even better when served to her in bed.
Get the Recipe

What are you cooking this Mother's Day? See More Mother's Day Brunch Recipes

Like

Whole Living

1. Organic Is Always Best
Wait one minute. The organic supply keeps proliferating (ice cream, salsa, peanut butter … ) and so have the places that sell these foods; mainstream retailers now account for nearly half of all organics sales. But along with growth comes change -- and often confusion. We dug up the facts, stats, and expert opinions to answer the burning questions about this important issue.

Read more in our Organic Foods 101

2. Buying Organic Is Always More Expensive
Not so. Growing consumer demand continues to drive down the price of organics, but many conventional foods remain cheaper. To help balance out the extra cost, consider these tips.

3. Eco-Design Equals Expensive
Here are some ideas for stylish, sustainable decorating.

4. Eating Better Can't Really Help the Planet
That's false. The choices you make at every meal have real and extended effects on the Earth.

Try Our Farmstand Dinner

5. Natural Cleansers Aren't Enough
Think again. If

Whole LivingHelping to change the world isn't that hard. It begins with small acts that become habits. As they gain momentum, soon you're not doing just one thing; you're revolutionizing your life in a way that can, in fact, save the planet.

1.Turn Off the Lights
Two-thirds of all the electricity used in the residential sector of the United States powers lights and appliances. Considering that electricity production generates more than 1.9 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions a year, a simple flick of the switch is a good start.Plus

Plus: See Our Favorite Eco-Bulbs

2. Eat More Veggies
While a meat-centered diet deepens our ecological footprint and contributes to pollution, a plant-centered diet requires fewer resources and supports long-term health. But you don't have to go completely veggie to reap the benefits; try gradually shifting the emphasis of your meals from animal-based proteins to plant-based ones, such as soy foods and beans.

3. Use Greener

Whole Living

The trials and tribulations that cause tension in our lives are personal problems, yet they often fall into larger categories of common anxiety triggers. These universal stress points -- money, relationships, work, time constraints -- are often painfully obvious to everyone involved. Other times, however, they can hide behind our own excuses and denials, while we blame others for our problems and overlook the true causes.

Keeping a stress journal for a period of one or two weeks can help you better identify the specific sources of turbulence in your life, while these common stressors may highlight areas that need special attention.

1. Money Issues
Financial stress is nothing new, but in recent years it's skyrocketed to the top of our worry list: In the American Psychological Association's 2009 Stress in America report, it was the No. 1 issue reported, with 71 percent of those surveyed saying that money was a significant or very significant source of stress in their lives.